A YOUNG Hinckley couple who had just got engaged have died in a head-on car crash on the Crooked Mile in Essex.

Leonard Hurst, 27, and his fiance Natalie Wiggins, 20, were pronounced dead at the scene of the collision on Saturday February 26.

They had been visiting Leonard’s parents in Nazeing, Essex.

The Honda the couple were travelling in collided with a Volkswagen people carrier, which four people, including two young children, were in.

A woman in her 30s suffered serious injuries but is stable, while a man and the two young children were all treated for minor injuries.

Natalie’s mother, Sharon, and step-father Shane, say the whole family just want the girl who was "loved by everyone" back.

Shane said: "It has come as a massive, massive shock to all of us, we weren’t expecting it and all the family is missing them. They’d just got engaged, just got their new house.

"She was due to start a new job on Monday and Leon was due to go for an interview for a new job. It was all going in the right direction for them.

"It has just destroyed everybody, us here, as well as her grandparents, and her dad in Wolvey."

Police officers from the Essex force are still trying to piece together what happened that day, but Shane said no amount of investigation would bring his daughter back.

He added: "She was such a well-liked person, I don’t think there was a single person that didn’t really love her.

"But you have to remember there are three families involved in this terrible mess - our family, Leon’s family and the family who were in the other car.

"It’s just such a sad time for everybody. We just want her back."

Sharon said: "We’d like to thank her friends and family for all their help and support."

Much of that support has come from the hundreds of messages which have flooded Natalie’s Facebook page in the days following the accident, with friends and family sharing their memories of the fun and happy girl.

The posts have also been welcomed by her family, who said they found comfort in the messages from people who knew Natalie.

One tribute message read: "You always lit up peoples lives, and I will cherish you forever – your 20 years of brilliant light will never be enough. The last words we said to each other were "I love you"....I love you so so much, my darling Natalie, and one day we will be together again. Until then, sleep well, and look over us all."

Natalie was well-known in the area as she had previously worked at the Hinckley Island Hotel, and Thompson’s, in Market Place, before becoming a customer service advisor for the firm at its head office.

She also had many friends in Nuneaton, where she attended Etone Community School and Technology College, in Leicester Road.

Another Facebook message read: "Natalie Wiggins – Born 29/01/91---26/02/2011 20 years old. R.I.P SIS!!!! You were the best sister you could ever ask for...I LOVE YOU so so so much, and I don’t know how I am going to cope without you. You meant the world to me and everyone else, we are all going to miss you so much!!!"

Another friend wrote: "I’m still sat here in complete shock. Nat and Leon you were a lovely couple with a whole life ahead of you. Life is cruel and unfair, and I wish this was just all a bad dream. RIP my darlings, love you xxxx special stars shining brightly in the sky now xxxx".

Another friend said: "Nat you were a ray of sunshine.. heaven will now be a better place... RIP my lovely, my thoughts are with your family at this sad time."